Immigration advocates praise Pearce's defeat

Some immigration advocates are celebrating the ouster last night of Arizona Sen. Russell Pearce, author of the state's controversial immigration law.

Pearce, president of the Arizona Senate, conceded defeat late Tuesday to fellow Republican Jerry Lewis. Early and provisional ballots must be counted, but Pearce trailed Lewis when all precincts had reported.

If the election results stand, Pearce would become the first sitting Senate president and the first Arizona legislator to lose a recall election, according toThe Arizona Republic.

"Anti-immigrant extremism is a political loser," said Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice. "It mobilizes Latino voters who want acceptance and respect, and it angers sensible Republicans, independents and Democrats who want their leaders to focus on bread-and-butter issues, not hot-button cultural issues."

Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, said Pearce's defeat "sends a loud and clear message that American voters are tired of politicians exploiting the immigration issue for cheap political points instead of focusing on real solutions to our immigration system."

Pearce was targeted for defeat for writing the legislation known as SB 1070, which requires law enforcement to determine the immigration status of anyone pulled over, detained or arrested if there is "reasonable suspicion" that person is in the country illegally. The Arizona law is on hold as the Obama administration fights it in court.

Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which assisted Arizona and other states to develop their immigration enforcement laws, said it would irresponsible to read too much into Pearce's defeat.

"You can't use a narrow special election as any kind of barometer of public sentiment on immigration," Dane said. "Reducing illegal immigration reduces taxpayer burdens and enhances public safety – there's nothing more popular at the polls than that."

Though the immigration law was one factor in the recall election, apparently so was Pearce's ties to special interests.

He was prominent in a report about abuses at the Fiesta Bowl, and named as one of several politicians who received free tickets and campaign donations from organizers of the big college football game.

"Pearce's anti-immigrant positions may have made him into a controversial figure, but it was his love of campaign cash, special-interest perks and opposition to clean elections that led voters to kick him out of the Senate," said David Donnelly, director of Public Campaign Action Fund's Campaign Money project.

His organization spent $47,000 on a direct-mail campaign to defeat Pearce.

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About Catalina Camia

Catalina Camia leads the OnPolitics online community and has been at USA TODAY since 2005. She has been a reporter or editor covering politics and Congress for two decades, including stints at The Dallas Morning News and Congressional Quarterly. Follow her at @USATOnPolitics.